US20080045843A1 - Via-Human-Body Information Transmission System and Transmitter-Receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

In a via-human-body information transmission system, there is made so as to be capable of more stably transmitting a signal.

An electrode (104) of a transmitter-receiver (102) contacting with or capacitance-connected to a human body (101) and an electrode (108) of a receiver (106) contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body (101) are electrically connected through the human body (101) (mainly, a chest part and a left arm). An electrode (105) of the transmitter-receiver (102) contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body (101) and an electrode (109), of the receiver (106), having been disposed while being directed to an outside of the human body (101) are electrically connected by a capacitance connection. A communication between the transmitter-receiver (102) and the receiver (106) is performed through a path passing the electrodes (104, 105, 108, 109) and the human body (101) and a path by the capacitance connection.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates to a via-human-body information transmission system performing an information transmission through a human body, and a transmitter-receiver.
BACKGROUND ART
• In recent years, there are eagerly proposed communications having utilized the human body as a transmission line (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1-3).
• FIG. 6 is a system constitution view of the via-human-body information transmission system having been described in thePatent Document 1. InFIG. 6, atransmitter402 is worn to one arm of ahuman body401, and areceiver405 is worn to the other arm. Oneelectrode403 of thetransmitter402 contacts with or is capacitance-connected to thehuman body401, and theother electrode404 is attached while being directed to an outside of thehuman body401. Further, oneelectrode406 of thereceiver405 contacts with or is capacitance-connected to thehuman body401, and theother electrode407 is attached while being directed to the outside of thehuman body401.
• In a signal line side, thetransmitter402 is connected to thereceiver405 through theelectrode403, thehuman body401 and theelectrode406. Further, in a reference potential line (e.g., ground potential) side, thereceiver405 is connected to thetransmitter402 by such paths by the capacitance connection as shown by broken lines through theelectrode407, a reference potential point (e.g., ground) and theelectrode404.
• In the via-human-body information transmission system having been constituted like the above, a signal having been transmitted from thetransmitter402 is transmitted to thereceiver405 through theelectrode403, thehuman body401 and theelectrode406. By doing like this, although it is possible to transmit the signal having been outputted from thetransmitter402 to thereceiver405, there are problems that a signal transmission operation is unstable because a length, through which the capacitance connection is utilizes, is long, and that a miniaturization is difficult because it is necessary to increase areas of theelectrodes403,404,406,407.
• FIG. 7 is a system constitution view of the via-human-body information transmission system having been described in the Patent Document 2. InFIG. 7, atransmitter502 is attached to an arm of ahuman body501, and areceiver505 is attached to a finger. Oneelectrode503 of thetransmitter502 contacts with or is capacitance-connected to thehuman body501, and theother electrode504 is attached while being directed to an outside of thehuman body501. Further, oneelectrode506 of thereceiver505 contacts with or is capacitance-connected to thehuman body501, and theother electrode507 is attached while being directed to the outside of thehuman body501.
• In the signal line side, thetransmitter502 is electrically connected to thereceiver505 by such paths of the capacitance connection as shown by broken lines through theelectrode504 and theelectrode507. Further, in the reference potential line (e.g., ground potential) side, thereceiver505 is connected to thetransmitter502 through theelectrode506, thehuman body501 and theelectrode503.
• In the via-human-body information transmission system having been constituted like the above, a signal having been transmitted from thetransmitter502 is transmitted to thereceiver505 by the paths by the capacitance connection through theelectrode504 and theelectrode507. By doing like this, although it is possible to transmit the signal having been outputted from thetransmitter502 to thereceiver505, since it is a constitution in which both of theelectrode504 and theelectrode507 have been attached while being directed to the outside of thehuman body501, there is a problem that an intensity of the capacitance connection changes by a person's motion and thus a signal transmission operation becomes unstable. Further, there is a problem that a distance between thetransmitter502 and thereceiver505 cannot be made long.
• FIG. 8 is a system constitution view of the via-human-body information transmission system having been described in the Patent Document 3. InFIG. 8, afirst communication equipment602 is worn to one arm of ahuman body601. Asecond communication equipment605 is attached to a supportingcolumn608 of a conductor, which has been connected to the reference potential (e.g., ground potential). Twoelectrodes603,604 of thecommunication equipment602 contact with or are capacitance-connected to thehuman body601. Further, oneelectrode606 of thecommunication equipment605 is attached while being directed to a space, and theother electrode607 is attached to the supportingcolumn608 so as to be electrically connected thereto.
• In the signal line side, thecommunication equipment605 is connected to thecommunication equipment602 through theelectrode606, thehuman body601 and theelectrode604. Further, in a reference potential line (e.g., ground potential) side, thecommunication equipment602 is connected to thecommunication equipment605 through theelectrode603, thehuman body601, paths by the capacitance connection shown by broken lines, the reference potential (ground potential), the supportingcolumn608 and theelectrode607.
• In the via-human-body information transmission system having been constituted like the above, if a fingertip of thehuman body601 is contacted with theelectrode606, thecommunication equipment605 transmits an information to thecommunication equipment602 through theelectrode606, thehuman body601 and theelectrode604. Incidentally, at this time, although the twoelectrodes603,604 are attached so as to contact with or be capacitance-connected to thehuman body601, between theelectrode603 and theelectrode604, since there is no short circuit and there exists an impedance of an intensity of certain degree, it is possible to transmit a signal having been outputted from thecommunication equipment605 to thecommunication equipment602.
• However, since the system ofFIG. 8 is a system whose object is a use as an ID tag, it is constituted so as to be used with only one communication equipment being worn to the human body, and thus there is not considered such a constitution that plural communication equipment are worn to the human body and the communication is performed between the plural communication equipment.
• [Patent Document 1]
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,701 Gazette,column 1, line 60-column 6, line 37, FIG. 1-FIG. 4
• [Patent Document 2]
• Japanese Patent No. 3425347 Gazette, columns [0034]-[0046], FIG. 1-FIG. 3
• [Patent Document 3]
• JP-A-2001-308803 Gazette, columns [0019]-[0030], FIG. 1-FIG. 6
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONProblems that the Invention is to Solve
• Problems of the present invention are to constitute, in the via-human-body information transmission system performing the information transmission between plural communication means through the human body, so as to be used while attaching the plural communication means to the human body, and to make such that the information transmission can be more stably performed.
• Further, a problem of the present invention is to simplify a constitution in the via-human-body information transmission system.
• Further, a problem of the present invention is to provide a transmitter-receiver suitable for constructing the via-human-body information transmission system.
Means for Solving the Problems
• According to the present invention, there is provided a via-human-body information transmission system performing an information transmission between plural communication means through a human body, possessing a first communication means which has first and second electrodes contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and which is used while being attached to the human body, and a second communication means which has a third electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and a fourth electrode having been disposed while being directed to an outside of the human body and which is used while being attached to the human body, characterized in that a communication is performed between the first and second communication means by the facts that the first electrode and the third elect-rode are electrically connected through the human body, and that the second electrode and the fourth electrode are electrically connected by a capacitance connection.
• The first communication means which has the first and second electrodes contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and the second communication means which has the third electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and the fourth electrode having been disposed while being directed to the outside of the human body are used while being attached to the human body. The first electrode and the third electrode are electrically connected through the human body, the second electrode and the fourth electrode are electrically connected by the capacitance connection and, by this, the communication between the first and second communication means is performed.
• Here, there may be constituted such that an organism information of the human body is transmitted between the first communication means and the second communication means, and the first and second electrodes of the first communication means are used both for an electrode detecting the organism information of the human body and for an electrode performing a transmission of the organism information.
• Further, there may be constituted such that a frequency of a carrier signal used in the communication between the first communication means and the second communication means is set to a frequency different from a frequency of the organism information of the human body.
• Further, there may be constituted such that the frequency of the carrier signal is a frequency within a range of 5 MHz-45 MHz.
• Further, there may be constituted such that the organism information is an information of a heartbeat.
• Further, there may be constituted such that the first communication means is attached to the human body by a chest band.
• Further, there may be constituted such that the first communication means has a filter through which a signal of a predetermined frequency in a signal having been received by the first electrode passes and which outputs it, a heartbeat detecting section detecting a heartbeat signal from an output signal of the filter, a first processor section calculating a heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in the heartbeat detecting section to thereby output a heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number, a modulating section modulating and outputting the heartbeat number data signal, and a data transmitting section outputting the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in the modulating section, and the second communication means has a demodulating section demodulating the heartbeat number data signal having been received by the third electrode, a storage means, a display section, and a second processor section which stores a heartbeat number data having been obtained from the heartbeat number data signal having been demodulated in the demodulating section to the storage means and which display-processes the heartbeat number to the display section.
• Further, according to the present invention there is provided a transmitter-receiver characterized by having a filter through which a signal of a predetermined frequency in a signal having been received by an electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to a human body passes and which outputs it, a heartbeat detecting section detecting a heartbeat signal from an output signal of the filter, a processor section calculating a heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in the heartbeat detecting section to thereby output a heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number, a modulating section modulating and outputting the heartbeat number data signal, and a data transmitting section outputting the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in the modulating section from the first electrode.
• The filter causes the signal of the predetermined frequency in the signal having been received by the electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body to passe and outputs it. The heartbeat detecting section detects the heartbeat signal from the output signal of the filter. The processor section calculates the heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in the heartbeat detecting section to thereby output the heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number. The modulating section modulates and outputs the heartbeat number data signal. The data transmitting section outputs the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in the modulating section from the electrode.
• Here, there may be constituted such that a frequency of a carrier signal that the modulating section uses for modulating the heartbeat number data signal is a frequency within a range of 5 MHz-45 MHz.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
• According to the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the present invention, since it becomes possible to shorten a distance through which the capacitance connection is performed, it becomes possible to more stabilize an information transmission operation.
• Further, by the fact that the electrode used for the detection of the organism information and the electrode used for the communication are commonly used, it becomes unnecessary to provide a new communication means, so that it becomes possible to inexpensively constitute by a simple constitution.
• Further, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a transmitter-receiver suitable for constructing the via-human-body information transmission system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• [FIG. 1] It is a system constitution view of a via-human-body information transmission system concerned with an embodiment of the present invention.
• [FIG. 2] It is a detailed block diagram of a transmitter-receiver used in the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention.
• [FIG. 3] It is a detailed block diagram of a receiver used in the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention.
• [FIG. 4] It is a view when measuring a characteristic of the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention.
• [FIG. 5] It is a characteristic diagram showing the characteristic of the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention.
• [FIG. 6] It is a system constitution view of a conventional via-human-body information transmission system.
• [FIG. 7] It is a system constitution view of a conventional via-human-body information transmission system.
• [FIG. 8] It is a system constitution view of a conventional via-human-body information transmission system.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
• 101 . . . human body
• 102 . . . transmitter-receiver as first communication means
• 103 . . . transmitter-receiver main body
• 104 . . . first electrode
• 105 . . . second electrode
• 106 . . . receiver as second communication means
• 107 . . . receiver main body
• 108 . . . third electrode
• 109 . . . fourth electrode
• 110 . . . chest belt
• 111 . . . measuring point
• 201,301 . . . amplifying section
• 202 . . . filter
• 203 . . . heartbeat detecting section
• 204 . . . first processor section
• 205 . . . modulating section
• 206 . . . data transmitting section
• 302 . . . demodulating section
• 303 . . . second processor section
• 304 . . . memory as storage means
• 305 . . . display section as display means
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
• Hereunder, there are explained about a via-human-body information transmission system and a transmitter-receiver, which are concerned with an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 is a system constitution view of the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of an ictometer system as the via-human-body information transmission system.
• Further,FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a transmitter-receiver102, andFIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of areceiver106. Incidentally, inFIG. 1-FIG. 3, the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion.
• InFIG. 1-FIG. 3, the transmitter-receiver102 as a first communication means and thereceiver106 as a second communication means are both used while being attached to ahuman body101. The transmitter-receiver102 is attached to a chest part of thehuman body101 by achest band110. Thereceiver106 is attached to one arm (e.g., wrist of a left arm) of thehuman body101.
• The transmitter-receiver102 has a transmitter-receivermain body103, afirst electrode104 contacting with or capacitance-connected to thehuman body101, and asecond electrode105 contacting with or capacitance-connected to thehuman body101. Further, thereceiver106 has a receivermain body107, athird electrode108 contacting with or capacitance-connected to thehuman body101, and afourth electrode109 having been disposed while being directed to an outside (opposite side to the human body101) of thehuman body101.
• Thefirst electrode104 and thethird electrode108 are electrically connected through the human body101 (mainly, the chest part and the left arm that is the arm to which thereceiver106 has been attached), and thesecond electrode105 and thefourth electrode109 are electrically connected by a capacitance connection as shown by broken lines. By this, there is constituted such that a communication is possible between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106.
• That is, in the signal line side, the transmitter-receiver102 is connected to thereceiver106 through theelectrode104, thehuman body101 and theelectrode108. Further, in the reference potential line (e.g., ground potential) side, thereceiver106 is connected to the transmitter-receiver102 by the paths by such a capacitance connection as shown by the broken lines through theelectrode109, thehuman body101 and theelectrode105.
• Even in any case of a case where theelectrode104 and theelectrode105 have been attached so as to contact with the human body, and a case where they have been attached so as to be capacitance-connected to the human body, between theelectrode104 and theelectrode105, since there is no short circuit and there exists the impedance, a signal transmission between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106 becomes possible.
• The transmitter-receivermain body103 has anamplifying section201 amplifying and outputting a signal having been received by thefirst electrode104, a filter (low-pass filter in the present embodiment)202 through which a signal of predetermined frequency in an output signal of theamplifying section201 passes, aheartbeat detecting section203 detecting a heartbeat signal from an output signal of thefilter202, afirst processor section204 calculating a heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in theheartbeat detecting section203 to thereby output a heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number, amodulating section205 modulating and outputting the heartbeat number data signal, and adata transmitting section206 outputting the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in themodulating section205 from theelectrode104.
• Thefilter202 is a filter for removing a noise signal other than the heartbeat signal. Further, a frequency of a carrier signal that themodulating section205 uses for modulating the heartbeat number data signal, i.e., a frequency of a carrier signal used in a communication between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106, is set so as to differ from a frequency of the heartbeat signal. By this, there is constituted such that a signal communicated between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106 and the heartbeat signal do not interfere. Incidentally, about a method of determining the frequency of the carrier signal, there is mentioned later.
• The receivermain body107 has anamplifying section301 amplifying and outputting the heartbeat number data signal having been received by thethird electrode108, ademodulating section302 demodulating an output signal of theamplifying section301, amemory304 as a storage means, adisplay section305 as a display means, and asecond processor section303 which obtains a heartbeat number from the heartbeat number data signal having been demodulated by thedemodulating section302 to thereby store the heartbeat number to thememory304, and which display-processes the heartbeat number to thedisplay section305.
• In an ictometer system having been constituted like the above, in a case where the transmitter-receiver102 is in a detecting mode, the amplifyingsection201 amplifies and outputs the heartbeat signal having been received (detected) by theelectrode104. Thefilter202 causes the signal of predetermined frequency in the output signal of theamplifying section201 to pass and outputs it. Theheartbeat detecting section203 detects and outputs the heartbeat signal from the output signal of thefilter202. Theprocessor section204 calculates the heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in theheartbeat detecting section203.
• Next, if the transmitter-receiver102 becomes a transmitting mode, theprocessor section204 outputs the heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number having been calculated on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in theheartbeat detecting section203 to themodulating section205. The modulatingsection205 modulates the heartbeat number data signal from theprocessor section204 by the carrier signal of predetermined frequency, and outputs it. Thedata transmitting section206 outputs the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in themodulating section205 from theelectrode104.
• The heartbeat number data signal having been outputted from theelectrode104 is received by thethird electrode108 of thereceiver106 while passing the human body101 (mainly, the chest part and the left arm).
• The receivermain body107 amplifies the heartbeat number data signal having been received by theelectrode108 in theamplifying section301, and outputs it. Thedemodulating section302 demodulates and outputs the heartbeat number data signal having been outputted from the amplifyingsection301. Thesecond processor section303 obtains the heartbeat number from the heartbeat number data signal having been outputted from thedemodulating section302 to thereby store in order the heartbeat number to thememory304 in order by which the heartbeat number data signal has been received, and displays the heartbeat number to thedisplay part305.
• As having been mentioned above, the via-human-body information transmission system concerned with the embodiment of the present invention possesses the transmitter-receiver102 as a first communications means, which ahs the twoelectrodes104,105 contacting with or capacitance-connected to thehuman body101, and which is used while being attached to thehuman body101, and thereceiver106 as a second communication means, which has the oneelectrode108 contacting with or capacitance-connected to thehuman body101 and the oneelectrode109 having been disposed while being directed to the outside of thehuman body101, and which is used while being attached to thehuman body101.
• Accordingly, since it becomes possible to constitute the distance, by which the capacitance connection is performed, shortly in some extent, there becomes such that a communication operation between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106 is more stabilized.
• Further, since the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106 are attached respectively to the chest and the arm and a signal path via thehuman body101 is long, it becomes possible to reduce an influence by a person's posture and the like in comparison with a case where the transmission path by the capacitance connection is long.
• Further, since the twoelectrodes104,105 of the transmitter-receiver102 are used both for the electrode performing the transmission/reception of the signal and for the electrode detecting an organism information of thehuman body101, the communication of the signal and the detection of the organism information become possible by a simple constitution. Further, it becomes unnecessary to newly provide a communicating circuit such as RF circuit, so that a great reduction in cost becomes possible.
• Further, since there is constituted such that a carrier frequency of the transmitter-receiver102 and a frequency of the organism information (e.g., the heartbeat signal) are different, there is brought about such an advantage that it becomes possible to suppress the interference between a transmission signal and an organism information signal.
• Further, there is constituted such that the transmitter-receiver102 is attached to the chest of thehuman body101 and thereceiver106 is attached to the arm of thehuman body101, so that such a constitution as to enlarge the distance between the transmitter-receiver102 and thereceiver106 is possible.
• Further, according to the transmitter-receiver102 concerned with the embodiment of the present invention, since the above via-human-body information transmission system can be constructed and especially the electrodes are used both for the communication and for the organism information detection, there is bought about an advantage that it becomes possible to simplify the constitution.
• Next, there is explained about the method of determining the carrier signal frequency of the transmitter-receiver102.
• FIG. 4 is an explanatory view when determining the carrier frequency of the transmitter-receiver102 in the above embodiment. InFIG. 4, the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion asFIG. 1, and an antenna (not shown in the drawing) for measurement is disposed at ameasuring point111 having been separated from the transmitter-receiver102 by a predetermined distance.
• Further,FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing a frequency characteristic of the embodiment, wherein a solid line denotes a reception intensity of a signal having been received from the transmitter-receiver102 by theelectrode108 of thereceiver106, and a broken line denotes a reception intensity of a signal having been received by the antenna at themeasuring point111.
• InFIG. 4 andFIG. 5, thereceiver106 receives a signal from the transmitter-receiver102 mainly via the human body. On the other hand, at themeasuring point111, a signal having propagated in the air from the transmitter-receiver102 is received by the antenna and measured. From viewpoints of well performing the transmission of the signal and reducing an unnecessary radiation, it is desirable that an intensity of the signal that thereceiver106 has received from the transmitter-receiver102 is large, and the intensity at themeasuring point111 is rather small.
• In the present embodiment, from such viewpoints, there is adapted such that there is used the carrier signal within a range from 5 MHZ that is a frequency at which the intensity of the signal that thereceiver106 has received from the transmitter-receiver102 does not decrease and the intensity of the signal having been measured at themeasuring point111 greatly decreases to 45 MHz that is a frequency at which the intensity of the signal that thereceiver106 has received from the transmitter-receiver102 starts to decrease and the intensity of the signal having been measured at themeasuring point111 does not so increase.
• Like this, by making the frequency of the carrier signal that themodulating section205 of the transmission/reception part102 uses for modulating the heartbeat number data signal into the frequency within the range of 5 MHz-45 MHz, a good signal transmission becomes possible because thereceiver106 can receive the signal of a constant intensity from the transmitter-receiver102, and it becomes possible to suppress low the unnecessary radiation.
• Incidentally, in the above embodiment, a switching of the detecting mode and the transmitting mode in the transmitter-receiver102 may be made so as to be automatically performed for every predetermined time, and further such various modifications are possible as to constitute such that a start or the switching of the detecting mode and the transmitting mode is operated by providing an operation part in the transmitter-receiver102 and operating the operation part by a user.
• Further, although the transmitter-receiver102 has been given as an example of the first communication means, and thereception part106 has been given as an example of the second communication means, various modifications are possible if it is a constitution capable of performing the communication between the first and second communication means such as to make thereception part106 into a data logger exclusively for collecting the data, to make both of the first and second communication means into the transmitter-receiver, or to constitute so as to make the first and second communication means respectively into the receiver and the transmitter-receiver.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
• As the via-human-body information transmission system, there can be applied not only to the ictometer but also to such various systems as to perform the communication between the plural communications means having been worn to the human body, besides an organism information measurement system such as pulsimeter and pedometer.

Claims (5)

1. A via-human-body information transmission system performing an information transmission between plural communication means through a human body, comprising:

a first communication means which has first and second electrodes contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and which is used while being attached to the human body, and

a second communication means which has a third electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to the human body and a fourth electrode having been disposed while being directed to an outside of the human body and which is used while being attached to the human body,

characterized in that a communication is performed between the first and second communication means by the facts that the first electrode and the third electrode are electrically connected through the human body, and that the second electrode and the fourth electrode are electrically connected by a capacitance connection.

2. A via-human-body information transmission system according toclaim 1, characterized in that an organism information of the human body is transmitted between the first communication means and the second communication means, and the first and second electrodes of the first communication means are used both for an electrode detecting the organism information of the human body and for an electrode performing a transmission of the organism information.

3.-7. (canceled)

8. A transmitter-receiver characterized by having a filter through which a signal of a predetermined frequency in a signal having been received by an electrode contacting with or capacitance-connected to a human body passes and which outputs it, a heartbeat detecting section detecting a heartbeat signal from an output signal of the filter, a processor section calculating a heartbeat number on the basis of the heartbeat signal having been detected in the heartbeat detecting section to thereby output a heartbeat number data signal denoting the heartbeat number, a modulating section modulating and outputting the heartbeat number data signal, and a data transmitting section outputting the heartbeat number data signal having been modulated in the modulating section from the electrode.

9. A transmitter-receiver according toclaim 8, characterized in that a frequency of a carrier signal that the modulating section uses for modulating the heartbeat number data signal is a frequency within a range of 5 MHz-45 MHz.

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